prosthetic

[pros-thet-ik]

adjective

1. of or relating to an artificial body part or prosthesis.

   He was fitted for a prosthetic arm.

2. of or relating to the fields of surgical or dental prosthetics.

   advances in prosthetic technology.

3. of or relating to a substance, item, or process used to transform a person’s appearance temporarily, especially as a theatrical special effect.

   The final scene required painstaking application of prosthetic hair and skin.

noun

1. an artificial body part; a prosthesis.

   Hundreds of amputees volunteered to test the new prosthetics.

2. an appearance-altering substance or item applied temporarily to a person’s face or body, especially to create a theatrical special effect.

   Alien creatures are brought to life with realistic prosthetics.

Other Word Forms

• prosthetically adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of prosthetic¹

1735–40; < Modern Latin prostheticus, from Hellenistic Greek prosthetikós, equivalent to prósthet(os) “added on,” verbid of prostithе́nai “to add, put onto” ( pros- pros- ( def. ). + the-, stem of tithе́nai “to put, place” + -tos verbid suffix) + -ikos -ic ( def. )

Example Sentences

Johnson, squeezed into a wig so tight we get a vicarious headache, has pumped up his deltoids to nearly reach his prosthetic cauliflower ears.

From Los Angeles Times

It also shows him undergoing physiotherapy and running on a machine aided by prosthetic back and leg supports as part of his "determined" bid to return to the stage one last time.

From BBC

Russ finds a second wind when he tries out for a college football team as a walk-on quarterback, wearing heavy prosthetics and acting under the guise of a fabricated identity: Chad Powers.

From Los Angeles Times

The condition makes it too painful to wear a prosthetic limb, leaving her, like many amputees, only needing one of a pair of shoes.

From BBC

The bizarre prosthetics and silly voice make it hard to take Chad quite as seriously as the series would like us to.

From Los Angeles Times